NEW YORK: Mac Taylor squatted near the body of an officer. Stella Bonasera, stood behind him, her hand on his shoulder. Mac cursed, he knew the man.
Jeffery Mills could have been a detective, or even higher but he liked working with rookies.
He liked training the "new kids." He had trained Mac and Stella both along with half the NYPD force.
"We will get him," Stella said.
Mac stood, "Then lets get to it."
It took them no time to get a DNA and print profile on who shot Officer Mills, but it went no where. Who ever belonged to those prints were not anywhere to be found, they were not on file anywhere.
The case went cold, the assassin was no where to be found.
Mac stood looking at the flag covered casket. Touching it Mac vowed he would find the man who did this, if it took the rest of his life.
"The file is on my desk," Mac whispered, "It will not be laid to rest until I find him."
Taps blew, rife salute sounded and Jeffery Mills was laid to rest next to his beloved wife, Lilly.
2 Weeks later
MIAMI: "H," Eric said on the phone to Horatio, "Calleigh got a hit off the bullet Tara pulled form Officer Jeffery Mills. The gun has a history."
"I will be right there," Horatio said.
"I have some information on the Mills shooting," Natalia said as she walked by the print lab.
"Come with me," Horatio said, "Calleigh found something too."
Frank Tripp walked up behind Horatio and Natalia, "I got something on Mills."
"Join us," Caine said.
Eric, Calleigh, Natalia, Frank and Horatio all gathered around a table. "The prints match a cold case in New York, a murdered police officer," Natalia started.
"And so dose the DNA," Eric said.
Calleigh said, "The bullet matches also. The strange thing is the officer in New York has the same last name."
"It's not strange when you realize that the New York officer was Mills father," Frank said.
Horatio looked at him. "Our Mills is Jeffery George Mills. New York's is Jeffery Joseph Mills," Frank said laying down folders, "Two weeks ago an Officer Mills was shot and killed. New York collected DNA and prints. There suspect is in the wind."
"It would seem the wind blew him our way," Horatio said, looking over the New York folder.
Once again no match could be found to either DNA or prints. Once again the case went cold. Horatio Caine called Mac Taylor and filled him in.
2 Weeks later
VEGAS: "Hey Griss," Bobby Dawson said. "The bullet that doc pulled out of Officer Mills - the gun that fired it has a history."
He handed Gil a folder.
Sara, who was standing next to Bobby said, "The DNA and prints belong to that case too."
Grissom got on the phone and made two phone calls.
The next day
Mac Taylor, Stella Bonasera, Horatio Caine and Natalia Boa Vista along with Gil and Sara stood around a table in one of the lay out rooms comparing folders and evidence on three different murders in three different cities on three different officers all named Mills.
Each man brought everything they had on the "Mills" from their city. "Beyond father and sons," Gil asked, "Do they have anything else in common?"
"I believe we need to find out what Jeffery, Jeff and Jerry all had in common to solve this," Mac said.
They had decided for clarity sake that Mills the elder would be Jeffery and Mills the younger would be Jeff.
"I brought copies of all the cases that Jeffery worked on," Mac said handing the information to Archie.
Archie, from the AV lab, downloaded the information.
Sara had been leafing through some of the folders, she lifted her head and said, "They were triplets?"
Gil, Mac and Horatio looked at her. "Jeff, Jerry and Jordan," Sara said, "Are triplets."
"I knew he had three sons," Mac said, "But I had no idea they were triplets."
"Does any one know where the third son is?" Gil asked.
"Danny is working on that," Mac said.
"I have Eric checking on it also," Horatio said handing Archie a his information, "These are the cases that Jeff worked on."
Archie downloaded them into the computer also.
"Bring up Jerry's cases too," Gil told Archie, "I want to see if anything overlaps."
Archie shook his head, "Nothing."
Gil put his hands on the table, pulled in a breath. "Three men, three different city's all police officers all murdered the same way."
"And we can't find a common link beyond father and son," Sara added. "This makes no since," Mac said, "Jeffery had just finished shift and was getting into his car when he was shot."
Horatio nodded, "Jeff had just got out of his car, he was ready to start shift."
"Jerry was just getting ready to start shift also," Gil said.
"So none of the shootings had any connection to the job?" Natalia said. Stella just shook her head, "No."
They talked a little longer, "Let's get something to eat and some rest," Gil said, "We need to have fresh minds and bodies to tackle a problem like this."
Gil stopped at the desk on their way out. He told the receptionist that they were all going to his place to freshen up.
Gil had offered his house in preference to a hotel. He figured it would be easier to talk if every one was together.
At the house Stella, Natalia and Sara fixed something to eat.
Mac stood in front of the fireplace. "You knew Jeffery for a while," Gil said.
Mac nodded, "Jeffery was about to retire. He has (Mac choked back a tear) had been on the force for over 30 years. He and Lilly had 3 sons, Mills was so proud that they all followed in his footsteps. I doubt there is not a man or woman on the force that was not trained by Mills. He could have advanced a lot further in his career, but he wanted to stay with the rookies. I remember one time when I asked him 'Why' he told me 'You have to train them right so they don't get themselves killed'."
Mac sighed, "Then he told me that there were plenty of smart 'kids like you' to fill in all the upper ranks."
Stella, having come in from the kitchen, tenderly touched his arm, she knew the pain that losing a close friend like Officer Mills caused Mac.
"He sounds like a special man," Natalia said.
"He was one of a kind," Stella said.
"Let's eat," Stella said. Gil smiled, he caught the connection between the two of them.
As they ate they talked about their fallen comrades.
"Jeff joined the force about 5 years ago," Horatio said, "I doubt there was a more dedicated man. He was enthusiastic, always asking questions, you know, eager to learn. The first one to jump in and help. Just last month he was awarded the Medal of Valor for saving a young child and its mother. "
"Was he married?" Stella asked. "Engaged," Natalia said.
Gil described Jerry much the same way as Horatio did Jeff.
Enthusiastic, eager to learn and extremely helpful and friendly. Community oriented and full of life.
"He was very active in all the youth activities," Sara said, "One time he had said that if we get to them early enough maybe they won't end up in jail, or on doc's table."
Natalie nodded, "Jeff thought the same way."
Mac snickered, "I trait learned from their father no doubt."
It was near midnight, the others were still on Eastern time but Gil and Sara were getting sleepy.
Gil stood and stretched.
"There are two bedrooms," he said. "Sleeping arrangements are up to you."
He took Sara's hand and headed for their room.
In their room Sara smiled, "I have never seen you so diplomatic."
He looked at her.
"'Sleeping arrangements are up to you'," she said smiling, "You know as well as I do where they will end up."
Gil half smiled, "I have a good idea."
"They may even get as lucky as I am going to get," he said pulling her to him. "You think you are going to get lucky?" Sara said teasingly as she unbuttoned his shirt.
He kissed her neck, she let out a soft moan in response. "I am the luckiest man alive," he said, "I have you."
In the living room the others were getting sleepy.
The men had hinted to the fact that it would be proper to be "boys in one girls in the other."
Natalia looked at Stella, Stella smiled.
Natalia took Horatio's hand, "I don't know about those two, but I am ready for bed.
Mac looked at Stella, "I hope you don't snore."
"I guess you are going to find out," she said smiling.
In their room Natalia said, "Did you really want boy - girl?"
Horatio gave her one of his famous half smiles, "No."
In the other room Mac was standing in the middle of the room, he has had feelings for Stella but something kept him from acting on them. Why he was not sure.
Stella came form the bathroom and laid on the bed.
"Are you going to stand there all night?" she asked.
He turned to her, "No. It's just that, well you know."
Stella laughed, "I'll behave my self if you will. Now come to bed, you need to rest."